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Atlanta Braves face tough test on the mound this weekend against the LA Dodgers

By Jeff Schafer

PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: New baseballs are delivered to the home plate umpire prior to a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals at Maryvale Baseball Park on February 28, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 28: New baseballs are delivered to the home plate umpire prior to a game between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Kansas City Royals at Maryvale Baseball Park on February 28, 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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Braves head to LA to take on the red hot Dodgers team

In the last forty years, not many teams in Major League Baseball have won 30 games in a 34 game stretch.  As a matter of fact, only two teams in Major League Baseball in the last forty years have won 30 games in a 34 game stretch!  That one team was the Kansas City Royals, the other, the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers – the team the Atlanta Braves meet up with on the road for the next four games.

A crucial four games for the Braves in what may be a turning point in the season which could either propel the Braves toward to playoffs or drop the Braves further under .500 with visions starting for 2018.

Looking at the pitching matchups over the next four games between the Braves and Dodgers, do the Braves even have a fighting chance?

Here are the pitching matchups for this weekend series

Thursday – Mike Foltynewicz vs Brandon McCarthy

Friday – Jaime Garcia vs Alex Wood

Saturday – Julio Teheran vs Rich Hill

Sunday – Sean Newcomb vs Clayton Kershaw

Thursday’s game has two right handed pitchers going up against each other.  Folty for the Braves against McCarthy for the Dodgers.  Foltyneweicz has pitched well lately, in his last three starts, he has two wins and a no decision, with a 2.79 ERA and 19 strikeouts.  McCarthy, on the other hand, has not registered a decision in his last three starts, while compiling a 5.93 ERA and only 6 strikeouts.

Friday’s matchup is the total opposite.  Left-handed pitchers Jaime Garcia for the Braves, up against Alex Wood for the Dodgers.  In this matchup, it is the Dodgers starter, Wood, who has had the hot hand, scoring three wins in his last three starts.  The former Brave has limited teams with a 0.47 ERA and registering 22 strikeouts.

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While Garcia has struggled mightily in his last three starts, only winning once and being on the losing end twice, registering a 5.68 ERA in the span with 18 strikeouts.  It’s a big start for Garcia and the Braves, though, as the Braves are trying to look for trade candidates for Garcia.

It is a little more even for the Saturday evening game, as Braves’ RHP Julio Teheran comes in with one win and one loss in his last three starts, with a 1.86 ERA and 18 strikeouts.  He’s especially pitching well outside of Braves SunTrust Park.

Dodgers LHP Rich Hill is just a little better, getting two wins and a no decision in his last three starts, with a 0.95 ERA and 29 strikeouts.  Hill, who missed a lot of time earlier this season, is finding his groove in the second half of 2017.

Sunday afternoon’s game is exactly what the Braves did not want to end the series – face Clayton Kershaw. 

The LHP comes in with three wins in his last three starts, a 0.78 ERA and 31 strikeouts, while in the last 14 games Kershaw has started, the Dodgers have won each of these games.  He’s been on a different planet for years now, but it seems as if he’s in another galaxy right now.

Hopefully, Braves LHP Sean Newcomb can find some magic and make his 0-3 record and 11.37 ERA in his last three starts forgettable with a good outing.

Next: Braves Freddie Freeman exits game on Wednesday

Game times this weekend are below, they are listed in eastern standard times

Thursday – 10:10pm

Friday – 10:10pm

Saturday – 9:10pm

Sunday – 4:10pm

Looking overall at the statistics of those on the mound, unless the Braves can figure out a way to score runs on the pitching staff of the Dodgers, the Braves most realistic chance at stealing a game in Los Angeles could come tonight and from Foltyneweicz.  Which very well possibly could help propel the Braves on this 11 game road trip to end July, before coming home to face the Dodgers once again.

Strap in fans, it may be a long road trip.

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